I ♥ Faces Contest - Professionals

I had a little bit of extra time and non-nausea this morning, so I thought I would make an entry into this week's I ♥ Faces "Blurb Book Photo" contest with a one-photo submission under the category, "My Favorite Face Photo."

It is so hard to choose a *best* face photo out of the hundreds (probably thousands) I have shot, so I decided keep the photo I chose to one of my own photos and not one of my wedding photos. I am going with an old one of my daughter that I just can't get over, from the 9-month-old challenge in her clear, deep eyes to the little tongue peeking out of her precocious mouth. I haven't developed a lot of photos over the years I've been shooting, but this is one favorite that I plan to hang as soon as I ever get a frame for it!

I'm nervously entering the shot under the "professionals category" because I know I have done a lot more shooting than most amateurs, and while I still consider myself an amateur in so many ways, I have been paid for most of my work, and that makes me a professional purely by definition.

I am submitting this photo into the www.iheartfaces.com Blurb Book photo contest. I am granting I ♥ Faces permission to use my photo in a printed version of a book for commercial use and possibly advertising of a photo book on both the Blurb and I ♥ Faces web sites.

Weekend Giveaway

Here's the drill - we're going out of town for a wedding. I don't want to have to think about blogging or checking stuff. So leave me a comment on this post, and I'll have my daughter draw one of your names on Monday morning to get an 8x8 print of this photo! I have it on my desk now, and let me tell you, it's gorgeous!

To see the rest of the set (or to purchase a print), check out this post!

I'll be catching you up on my 365 (and a few wedding photos) next week! Here's hoping you have a great weekend!

CONTEST CLOSED

Weekend Giveaway

It's that time again - time for me to let you have the blog for the weekend because I'll be working my tail off on Saturday shooting a wedding.

It'll be the usual routine this weekend - anyone who leaves me a comment ON THIS POST between now and Monday at 8:30a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) will be entered in a drawing (conducted by the very cute Piper Joelle Rhiannon Sauer) to win an 8 x 12 print of the photo above. I know a lot of you loved this photo, so here's your chance to own one!

When you comment, please leave an identifiable name or link or email address so that I know who to contact about winning. If I can't contact you, I can't consider you to win!

DRAWING CLOSED. See Here for Results

I ♥ Faces Contest - Kids

The category this week at I ♥ Faces is Black & White. This is my kids entry this week, a frozen moment with this lovely little girl who was up quite past her bedtime. Every time I see this shot, I find myself drawn into her little-girl world, oblivious to all the activity around, caught up in her innocence, remembering my own little-girl thoughts.

Be sure to stop by and check out the other kids entries at I ♥ Faces. Or stop in and enter a photo of your own!

[This photo didn't place in the contest, but you have got to see the winning photo! Check it out here!]

I ♥ Faces Contest - Adult

The category this week at I ♥ Faces is Black & White. This is my adult entry, a favorite b/w conversion from a friend's wedding this spring. I love the sweet tender tension between this couple who hadn't kissed each other before their wedding ceremony, the soft, new amazement written all over their faces. One of my all-time favorites!

But don't just stop here! Be sure to stop by and check out the other adult entries at I ♥ Faces. Or stop in and enter a photo of your own!

[UPDATE: This photo placed tenth in this week's contest. Check out the winners here!]

I ♥ Faces Contest - Adult

The category this week at I ♥ Faces is Wonder. I had watched these sisters all day as they played around, getting ready for the wedding moment that would separate them by relationship, by time, by hundreds of miles, but it wasn't until this moment, when the younger sister moved to lift her sister's veil, that what was happening became real. The absolute wonder on her face as she looked into her older sister's eyes and saw her as a bride for the first time still makes me cry to see, two years later.


Be sure to stop by and check out the other adult entries. They're pretty great!

[UPDATE: This photo placed 7th in the top ten! Check out the other finalists here!]

I ♥ Faces Contest - Kids

Here is my kids' entry for this week's I ♥ Faces Wonder category.


I caught my little girl in our new curtains yesterday, loving the soft, sheer loveliness of them, peeking through to see what she could see, hiding in the light behind them, swept up in the pure wonder of what made her feel beautiful. When I pulled this out of my camera, it moved ME to wonder too, and brought back all the lovely feeling that made me want to wear a wedding veil or a slip or a white dress any time I got the chance. And you know, I still haven't outgrown it...

As usual, I have no illusions of winning in this category - what with all the awesome shots that always get entered here but I thought I'd share it around anyway!

Make sure you stop over and check out the other entries - or leave one yourself to share!

4:8 Project: Whatever Is...

This morning, I decided that I'm going to rework my Project 365 a bit and incorporate a mini-series of photos based on Philippians 4:8 (in several versions - NKJV, ESV, NIV, and The Message). Using the Shutter Sisters One-Word Project as a jumping-off point, I'm planning to shoot around one word from this verse each day (true, noble, right, just, honorable, pure, lovely, admirable, commendable, excellent, virtue, good, praiseworthy, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious) and spend my photography time looking for things that remind me of Him, instead of simply chasing a good photo.

I would love for you to join me in this project - if you shoot a photo that fits my word of the day (or any of the words above), please leave me a permalink to the photo in your comment. Each day, I will honor a photo I have received in a comment from someone that fits one of the words above. Every four weeks, I will select the owner of one photo submitted to choose and receive an 8 x 12 print of any photo of mine.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

I ♥ Faces Contest - Kids

Here is my kids' entry for this week's I ♥ Faces The Eyes Have It category. I was spying on my daughter with the camera last week through the slats of my desk chair and caught her little serious eyes figuring something out, framed beautifully in the slats.

I have no illusions of winning in this category - what with all the awesome shots that always get entered here but I thought I'd share it around anyway!

I ♥ Faces Contest - Pets

I ♥ Faces is introducing a new category this week for pets. I wasn't planning to enter anything in this category, since I didn't have any "the eyes have it" shots of our cat, but as I was working at my computer this morning, I turned and found Miss Mia sitting on the shelf near me, staring me down. The camera was available, complete with the macro lens I had used earlier, so I grabbed this shot to enter in the contest!

Be sure to stop on by and see the other pets entries here!

I ♥ Faces Contest - Adult

The category this week at I ♥ Faces is Joy. I shot this photo at a wedding a few years ago. The bride was five minutes out from her ceremony, and hugging her little brother with this shot that defines "joy" for me when I go searching my memory for a picture of it. I love how the motion of the shot only heightens the wonder of her moment.



UPDATE: This photo won this week!!! Be sure to stop over and check out the top ten here! There were some really great entries!

Weekend Giveaway

Because I like to find out who is online from Friday - Monday morning, (I have a theory going on this phenomenon...) This weekend, I am doing a double giveaway (which means I will have Piper draw two names to receive a gift).

To both winners, I will give

1) an 8x10 print from any one of my Daily Photos

OR

2) a custom blog header created from my stock images.

Those of you who like my photography, this is your chance to get one of my favorite photos! To enter, just leave your preference (print or header) with your comment on this post between now and 8:30 a.m. on Monday.

I-Heart-Faces Contest - Adult

I discovered another contest today, so I thought I would put my daughter's face up for scrutiny. The category is Anything Goes. For my anything, I'm going with the self-portrait I shot last week for my Project 365.

This photo is titled Found.



Be sure to stop by I Heart Faces to check out the other entries!

UPDATE: This photo took ninth place. I am so excited to have made it into the top ten!

I-Heart-Faces Contest - Kids

I discovered another contest today, so I thought I would put my daughter's face up for scrutiny. The category is Anything Goes in the kids faces category. I have a feeling that's exactly what this little spark plug was trying to say here!



Be sure to stop by I Heart Faces to check out the other entries!